Word Origin and History for stranding

strand

n.1

"shore," Old English strand, from Proto-Germanic *strandas (cf. Danish and Swedish strand "beach, shore, strand," Old Norse strönd "border, edge, shore," Middle Low German strant, German Strand, Dutch strand "beach"), perhaps from PIE root *ster- "to stretch out." Strictly, the part of a shore that lies between the tide-marks. Formerly also used of river banks, hence the London street name (1246).

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strand

n.2

"fiber of a rope, string, etc.," late 15c., probably from Old French estran, from a Germanic source akin to Old High German streno "lock, tress, strand of hair," Middle Dutch strene, German Strähne "skein, strand," of unknown origin.

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strand

v.

1620s, "to drive aground on a shore," from strand (n.1); figurative sense of "leave helpless" is first recorded 1837. Related: Stranded; stranding.